On This Day in Alexandria: October 21, 1669: The Land That Would Become Alexandria Changes Hands — On this date, Virginia’s colonial governor Sir William Berkeley granted Welsh sea captain Robert Howson a sprawling 6,000-acre land patent along the Potomac River. The tract stretched from Hunting Creek in the south to Little Falls in the north—land that overlapped a 700-acre plot previously awarded to Dame Margaret Brent in 1654. Less than a month later, Howson sold the entire parcel to Scotsman John Alexander, whose name would eventually grace the city. Eight decades would pass before a portion of this land was formally established as the town of Alexandria in the 1740s, situated just south of Hugh West’s tobacco inspection station that had operated since 1732.
On This Day in Alexandria: October 21, 1907: A Night School Opens Doors to Adult Learners — At 1401 Duke Street, the Alexandria Institute welcomed its first students at Shiloh Baptist Church. This pioneering night school was established to serve adult learners, with dedicated educators like Samuel W. Madden and John F. Parker volunteering their time to teach English and other subjects. The institute represented a crucial educational opportunity for Alexandria’s working adults seeking to advance their knowledge and skills. [Historic Alexandria]
Alexandria Mayor Joins Statewide Affordable Housing Rally — Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins and members of the City Council joined hundreds of people Sunday at a major rally in Herndon launching a statewide push for affordable housing legislation, part of a growing coalition effort that drew nearly 1,000 participants. [ALXnow]
Congresswoman Spanberger’s Campaign Bus Tour Stops in Alexandria — Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger will bring her “Virginia Votes Bus Tour” to Alexandria on Thursday, Oct. 30, as part of an 11-day, 40-plus-stop campaign swing across Virginia ahead of Election Day. [ALXnow]
No Explosives Found After Alexandria City High School Bomb Threat — Alexandria police found no explosive devices after conducting a thorough search of Alexandria City High School following a bomb threat Monday morning, according to the department. [ALXnow]
DoDEA Must Return Books to Shelves, Judge Rules — In a victory for free speech, the Department of Defense must stop censoring classroom and library materials pertaining to race and gender in DOD-run schools, a judge in Alexandria ruled Monday. On behalf of six military families with students enrolled in Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Kentucky, and the ACLU of Virginia filed a motion for preliminary injunction in May seeking to declare DoDEA’s enforcement of executive orders resulting in classroom censorship unconstitutional. Schools on military bases had banned nearly 600 books related to race and gender in response to Trump’s executive orders. DoDEA, whose students lead the United States in math and reading proficiency scores, operates 161 schools across 11 countries, seven states, Guam, and Puerto Rico. [ACLU of Virginia]
‘I Love to Dance With My Friends’: Purple Tutu Teaches Ballet to Children With Down Syndrome — For the last nine years, children with Down syndrome in Alexandria have had the opportunity to be introduced to ballet thanks to The Purple Tutu. The program is now under the umbrella of ArtSpireVA, a group that works to make dance more accessible. [WTOP]
City of Alexandria Offers Safe Disposal of Medication on Drug Take Back Day and Year Round — The City of Alexandria encourages residents to safely dispose of unneeded prescription drugs, including those prescribed by veterinarians, and over-the-counter medications during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. A collection will take place on Saturday, October 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at four drop-off sites staffed by the Alexandria Police Department and the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office: Alexandria Police Department Headquarters (3600 Wheeler Ave.), Fire Station 210 (5255 Eisenhower Ave.), The Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray (2204 Mt. Vernon Ave.), and Walgreens Pharmacy (3614 King St.). Unused and expired medications that languish in home cabinets are susceptible to misuse, especially opioid prescriptions. In 2024, the City collected 2,294 pounds of unused medication. [City of Alexandria]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies and a high of 71 degrees, accompanied by a south wind ranging from 5 to 11 mph and gusts reaching 22 mph. Tonight, there is a 40% chance of showers before 2 am; however, the mostly cloudy skies will gradually clear with a low of around 49 degrees. The west wind will be around 7 mph. [NWS]
